How Self-Portrait Became the Cool Girl’s Label of Choice

Photography by Kasia Bobula

In an industry whose biggest stars are selling oversized ’90s concert hoodies for thousands of dollars, it’s rare to see a designer who eschews theatrics and exorbitant prices to create a collection of clothes that women not only want to wear, but that most of them can actually afford.

Founded in 2013 by Han Chong, the London-based label Self-Portrait first came to prominence with its beautifully designed, intricately cut lace dresses that looked more couture than contemporary. Stars as diverse as Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé, and Reese Witherspoon have all been seen wearing the dresses, but even so, the label has retained a certain air of mystery.

Born in Malaysia to parents who owned a beef jerky shop, Han may not have had a typical fashion upbringing, but it was his aunt, a local artist, who was perhaps most influential in inspiring him to take up a creative career. That is, his aunt and the weddings in Penang, the city where he lived.

“Where I grew up, there wasn’t a lot happening. It was more about special events — weddings. And that was the time where my cousins would dress up, and I was kind of like, ‘Ooh that’s kind of fun!’” Han said of his earliest interest in fashion. We are sitting in a makeshift studio in Manhattan’s West Side, where he has moved his whole operation in preparation for his fashion show on Saturday.

So why the move from London to New York? “I find it’s more like the energy and the aesthetic of the label,” he explains, “also, America is a huge market that we’ve just started to explore, so there’s a lot of opportunities for us here.” Although the brand is young, Han is not a new kid on the block. Before starting Self-Portrait, he worked for other labels, and in 2011, he launched Three Floor with a partner, before going his separate way a few years later to pursue his own ideas.

If there’s one thing that can be said about Han, it seems that he has never been afraid to follow his dreams. His art teacher in Malaysia had studied at Central Saint Martins in London, “So I had heard a lot of the stories, and I started to dream,” he recalls.

He finished art classes and worked for a year or two, moving to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s capital, where he “started seeing more fashion.” He adds, “I wanted to pursue a bigger dream, so I worked on my portfolio, applied to Saint Martins, and moved to London.”

Although Self-Portrait is known for its party-ready lace dresses, Han is ready to keep pushing the label forward. “This season is definitely more casual, because I don’t want to just do ‘occasion’ dresses,” he says. “I am thinking about our girl’s life, so she needs things she can wear from morning to evening.”

This season, that means lots of cotton poplin shirting, with decidedly Self-Portrait twists, like an exposed back, or crochet details that call to mind lace, but in formulations that you can wear to work (depending on how strict your workplace is).

Some shirts come with tiny satin-covered buttons all along the shoulders that you can button or unbutton “in case you’re feeling naughty and want to show some skin,” says Han, with a devilish grin. There are also many great pairs of trousers, and an embroidered suede dress so light, I had to ask twice what the material was because I couldn’t believe it.

Han’s recent bridal capsule collections have proved a hit, although surprisingly, it was his own customers who gave him the idea to pursue that direction. “People started wearing my clothes as their wedding dress, and I really liked the idea of it being so effortless,” he laughs, adding, “Women are so stressed out on their wedding, there’s all these dresses! And then I saw women wearing my dresses, and I thought, ‘Oh my God! This is so refreshing!’”

He insists he has no plans to continue doing bridal wear in the long term. “I only do two collections, and this is for fun,” he said. “I’ve done my dream niche, and now I’m moving on!”

Moving on means expanding to more categories. Han wants Self-Portrait to include knitwear and outerwear, and to become a label that provides a full wardrobe. “I didn’t know how to do a lot of things in the beginning, like accounting,” he says, explaining the hardest part of starting his own label, “but I think if you’re passionate and you really want to do it, you find a way.”

Of course he will find a way.

Yahoo Style is live from #NYFW! Keep it here for your front-row view of the best looks and buzziest moments of New York Fashion Week.